100 Themes: Molten Gold & Cobalt Blue
by VicTheButcher
Summary: 100 themes, all EdxWin. I was inspired by all the amazing EdxWin theme challenges and figured I'd try my hand! Caution rated for lemons and language. Ed never had his mouth washed out, after all. Review, please!
1. Theme 1: Entrance

Theme 1: Entrance  
Winry stood in the kitchen, idly flipping through an automail manual, just like every day. Just like every day, she had woken up, yawned, and stretched. Just like everyday she had gotten out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom for a shower. Just like everyday she had dressed, walked downstairs, and started breakfast for Granny.

But, unlike everyday, she was excited.

Something was different. She knew it was.

And that's why she couldn't take in a single word of how the copper wires interacted with the human nerves, or how the gleaming steel was to meld to warm skin.

Her attention, normally focused on the medical text, was elsewhere. She studied the horizon, the sun peeking up over the hilltops. Today was a new day...something new was in store for the day.

She smiled and shook her head, sipping her coffee. It was just another day.

* * *

Two golden-eyed youths stood at the end of a dirt road leading to a familiar yellow house. They looked upon it, and for once they weren't troubled. They could stay here, they didn't have to leave...  
"Hey, Al. We're home." Whispered Ed, almost in disbelief  
"I missed it here, Brother." Grinned Al weakly. His body was malnourished from years behind the Gate with no nutrition, and needed his brothers help to get around for now.

Ed wanted to sprint for the house. The door. The living room. The girl waiting inside...he hadn't told her of their arrival. He wanted to see the look on her face as they walked through the door. He had missed Pinako and all of the bittersweet memories the house held, but he had missed his best friend most of all. The third member of their trio, the base of their triangle of support and trust.  
He wanted to SPRINT, to tear along the dusty old path and just GET there ever since he and his little brother crested the hill before his surrogate childhood home. He wondered if pumping his legs so hard that his artificial knee joint blew would earn him some time alone with Winry...nah, it'd earn him nothing but a wrench to the side of the head.

He grinned slightly to himself, thinking that no matter how happy she'd be to see him, any damage to her MASTERPIECE would put him firmly at the top of her shitlist.

He rubbed the scars on his shoulder through his jacket, still sore and inflamed. It'd always be that way, he was told, but a red, angry looking scar was a fine substitute for a cold metal arm. Winry would have one less project to work on, now.

"Brother? Earth to Brother! What're you waiting for?!" Al whined impatiently. Ed knew he'd be long gone by now if he could run. His poor little brother was so weak. And it was all his fault...

No. No feeling guilty, no being Ed. It was over. He had succeeded, and they were home.  
HOME.

He set his face in a determined expression and set off towards the door.

* * *

The sound of a shattering plate, like a gunshot, ripped through the house.  
"No." She whispered. Shocked. Confused. Overjoyed. Angry at them not telling her they were coming.  
The boys.  
HER boys.  
They were HOME!  
As Pinako poked her withered face around the corner to inquire about the commotion, she began to ask why Winry was sprinting to the front door instead of washing up. Then, she saw the two boys walking up towards the little house. Two blonde teens, one with his hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, another shockingly skinny and leaning on a pair of crutches. She heard the BANG! of the door slamming shut behind the young girl as she sprinted towards her oldest friends.

Winry couldn't breathe when she saw them. Her first feeling was elation, the next anger...why hadn't that little twerp called her?! But the joy rushed back, flooding her heart just as the tears threatened to flood her eyes.  
Fighting them back, she knew that she didn't want her first view of them to be blurry through a veil of salty over-emotion.  
Sprinting down the road-barefoot, no time for shoes!-she launched her self at them in a glorious flying hug. They caught her, and they embraced, all three of them, like they hadn't since they were little kids. Cheeks smashed against cheeks, hands ruffling hair, lips pulled back into tight, happy smiles. They had missed this, had needed it ever since The Promised Day.

"Al! Is that you?" Winry broke the hug first, holding the younger Elric at arms length, shocked at the skeletal figure. Looking him up and down, she fought back a horrified gasp...he was so THIN.

But then she remembered the other Elric...Ed. Her Ed.  
HER Ed? Well, maybe now that he was back. It's not like she and him had spoken of the feelings they'd hid and ignored for so long.

But she wanted to. Soon.

"Ed!" She jumped into another hug, but this one was different. This one was meant only for him, her face buried in his shoulder, breathing deep his scent. He was BACK. He wouldn't be leaving for more danger, he wouldn't leave her again to go God-knows-where.

She wouldn't let him.

Ed awkwardly patted her back at first, then succumbed to the heart stopping feeling of her in his arms. He leaned his head down, resting his forehead on the top of her head, inhaling deeply through his nose. He could smell her...her citrusy shampoo mixed with a tiny bit of sweat, and the oil of her beloved automail.  
"Machine geek!" he thought to himself, grinning a bit.

She broke the embrace first, as Al teetered carefully into the kitchen to see Pinako. Suddenly embarrassed, Winry stepped back, red creeping up her collarbone to her cheeks. Ed was blushing too, his right hand immediately going back to rub at his neck.  
He chuckled, grinned, and said,  
"Hey there, Win. How ya-" he was cut off as she snatched his right arm from behind his neck, yanking up at the sleeve.  
"Owowow dammit woman what're you doing to me!" He demanded as she gazed in wonder at his skin.

His SKIN.  
She brought a shaking fingertip and traced his skin lightly. His arm was so thin, skin stretched tight over the bone and sinew. But it was SKIN, not her metal. The thought made her sad for only a second before she finally let the tears go that had been building.  
She began to shake slightly, staring at the pale, thin skin of her best friend. He really was back. All of him.  
"Winry! What's wrong?!" He stuttered, horrified at her crying.  
She looked up at him, her sky blue eyes meeting his brassy ones. A smile crept to her lips as she threw herself into his arms again, nuzzling her tear streaked face into the crook of his neck again.  
"Win..." He began.  
"Shut up, idiot. I kept my promise...these are happy tears! Welcome back, dumbass." She said into his neck, her voice muffled.

Suddenly, his eyes began to feel a little watery too.

Yup, it was good to be home.


	2. Theme 2: Love

"You stupid idiot! You smashed the pistons to hell!"

"Chill out, machine freak! It's not like I meant to!"

"You haven't been oiling it! You keep transmuting it over and over! If you'd let me put a knife in it you wouldn't have to keep fusing all these wires together-"

"NO WEAPONS! I told you that already!"

"Is oil a weapon?! Why can't you do something THAT simple you idiot?!"

"Who are YOU calling an idiot, idiot?!"

"You don't even CARE! You just come back here and expect me to fix it! Just like that! And then you just LEAVE again!"

"...damn it Winry I'm SORRY! How many times do I have to say it?! I'm sorry I broke your automail!"

"You don't even understand. Just go. I'll fix it."

This...this was unexpected. She just got so...deflated. He was expecting a crack from that damned wrench. Instead she just looks down and away and dismissed him. So coldly...no, this wasn't right. Not at all.  
Ed hopped off the table and left his detached arm with the blonde to fix. Was she sniffling? Nah...its just his imagination. Winry didn't cry...especially over an idiot like him. He'd upset her and didn't even know what he did...as usual.

Closing the door behind him, the young man tried to figure out why this spat was so different from the rest. She was mad about him smashing her precious automail up, but he had no other choice! Ed's journey was a dangerous one...he was glad to have her automail with him, helping him fight, helping him move forward. She helped him more then she knew...pushed him forward. Did she know how vital she was?

Sometimes Ed wondered if HE knew how precious she was to him.

* * *

As Ed climbed off the table and ascended the stairs to the kitchen, Winry sniffed and looked at her friend's arm. Scratched, marred, crushed in some places...steel scorched black stretching from his wrist to his elbow, two fingers with broken hinges.  
He was always throwing himself into these situations, trashing his automail...she knew he wasn't just uncaring towards his limbs, he was just in a tough situation when he had received this inch deep slash on his forearm. This obvious set of teeth marks on the bicep.  
He was always in DANGER that IDIOT. throwing himself into these situations, with no regard for himself.  
"Or me." She whispered, then suddenly blushed madly.  
"Why should he? I'm just his damn mechanic. And why do I care if he cares?! Stupid pint-sized alchemy freak..." She grumbled as she threw what was left of her most genius technological marvel yet into the scrap bin by the door.

Rubbing irritatedly at her eye, she stalked across the small workshop, grabbing various bits of metal and tools she'd need to make him a prosthesis from scratch. It'd take three or four days, but he'd have to deal. The idiot.

Ed retreated to the room he shared with Al, cursing under his breath about how he hadn't even been given a spare arm to wear in the meantime. He LOATHED being crippled and handicapped like this. Flopping himself on the bed, he faced the wall and stared moodily, a dark expression clouding his young face.

"Brother?" Came a tinny voice from across the room, seated on a chair.  
Ed jumped, shouting out in surprise, "Al?! Why didn't you warn me you were in here?!" He demanded indignantly.  
"Why, Brother? It's not like you brought Winry in here with you...what privacy do you need?" The shell asked slyly. If Al COULD smile, his face would be twisted into a sardonic smile.  
Blushing, Ed turned back to face the wall in sullen silence, refusing to bicker with his brother. It wasn't the time to berate him for his teasing of Ed's confused feelings for their oldest friend...not when he grappled with them so heavily himself.  
"And grappling is so fucking hard with one arm", he thought wryly to himself.

Sensing his discomfort, the ever perceptive Al spoke up.

"Something happened down there, huh Brother? With Winry? Did she see you transmuted that paperweight to replace your finger?" He asked, a small hint of laughter in his voice.

"Awwww, FUCK! She didn't even see that yet! Maybe she won't notice..."

"Brother, you didn't even do a GOOD JOB transmuting it. The tip of it still has Mustang's seal on it...besides, it's her AUTOMAIL. She notices when you haven't polished it in a day."  
Ed snorted derisively, recalling how mad Colonel Hothead was when Ed clapped his hands together and transmuted the little pewter statuette into a middle finger. Maybe he wouldn't have done it if Mustang hadn't BURNED his to cinders. And maybe Ed shouldn't have presented said finger so proudly to his commanding officer in response to a lecture on filling out field reports correctly.

"It wasn't funny Brother! Hughes gave him that when he was promoted." Al scolded.

Rolling over on his back, Ed sighed. He had been in a bad mood THAT day, too. For the same reason. He didn't know what to do about Winry. He wasn't GOOD with these things. Alchemy, chemical bonds, the periodic table of elements...these were things he knew. Romance, attraction, girls...love? He might as well be a toddler for as much as he knew.

"Brother, just TALK to her about it. Be yourself...you know her better then anyone." Al said helpfully. Always so level-headed, damn him.

"No! I said no already! She's the best looking girl in the whole damn town and I'm just her alchemy freak friend who keeps leaving her..." He turned back towards the wall as his face twisted into a grimace, realizing he had just gushed out his innermost feelings. Robert, John, Pitt, Ricky...she had options. She could be with any and all of them-that thought twisting his stomach-but she wasn't. Too busy tinkering with metal limbs and waiting on her friends. She must be just as inexperienced as he was...but maybe she wasn't? Maybe she had explored her feelings for the other boys in town. Fuck that made his stomach roil.

"Go talk to her! I'm tired of you being moody and grumpy about this! Since when do you THINK before you do things?" The suit of armor practically shouted, shocking Ed. Al only got like this when Ed had his head up his ass...but he was WRONG this time.

"What would be the point, Al? What happens when I tell her how I feel and she's on a different page? Things would never be the same. They'd always be awkward. I don't want to lose one of the only things I have left!" Ed snapped, still staring a hole through the wall. He heard the moans and groans of Al's armor as he shifted uncomfortably. They had had this conversation before. Ten times before, a hundred times before.

"Things wouldn't be weird Brother. You know that just as well as I do. Winry isn't the type to let that happen. Besides, what happens if she feels the same way?" Al pushed.

"Then maybe we start dating. Maybe it even GOES somewhere. And then? Then one of our hundreds of enemies finds out about her and she's in danger. I can't risk that. It isn't...it wouldn't be worth endangering her." His sat words were spoken with sadness and regret. Deep down he knew it'd be worth it to him...but he couldn't endanger Winry. She was too important.

"Fine. Be a coward." Al spat in an uncharacteristically bitter way, standing and stomping out.

"...I'm not a coward." Ed rolled over and laid on his back, staring at the rafters above his bed.

"Who the hell am I kidding? I'm the BIGGEST coward." Bitterly, he closed his eyes. He jumps into fights, way outmatched and outgunned, fighting for his little brother. But when it came to telling Winry she made him want to crush her into a hug and hide under the porch at the same time. When it came to something that might actually benefit him? Fucking COWARD. Maybe he didn't need to be happy. Happy meant comfortable, comfortable meant content, content meant he didn't want to move forward anymore. They needed their bodies back, he needed to stay focused. Al was counting on him, damn it!  
But maybe Winry could help? Some nights everything was just too damn much. Ed had gotten good at hiding how broken down he was feeling, how tired and exhausted he was. Sleep wasn't enough anymore...something was just rattling around inside him. Shit, she always fixed his limbs, maybe this was no different...

A part of him shuddered at the thought of telling her what she truly meant to him...of her laying in his arms, being able to run his hands rough her soft hair, state into her eyes. Kissing her lips, taking in her soft, feminine curves unabashedly. Those curves just freaking popped up one summer...much to Ed's interest...

Noooooo. Stay away from THOSE thoughts. He didn't need to think about her hips in that jumpsuit, that teeny black tube top...  
He grinned sheepishly as he indulged the thoughts before making his decision: he'd talk to her. Maybe after a cold shower...

* * *

Winry say at her workbench, a few hours after her and Ed's argument. Normally she forgave him pretty fast, because, well...it was Ed. Her Ed. Or...something. She didn't quite know what he was to her, but he was important enough to push her other projects aside in order to fix his automail. Without it he was helpless...she liked being able to give him what he needed to keep moving forward.  
But the forgiveness wasn't quite coming this time...her feelings after the fight were tinged not with anger, but sadness. Not frustration, but longing. Not the unfamiliar, newfound feeling of fluttering in her stomach at his roguish grin, but...disappointment.

Things were changing. He didn't care like she did...she knew he and her were still friends, would ALWAYS be friends...but nothing more. She was inexperienced in matters of the heart, but she knew she wanted to learn with him. He was too busy to think of his childhood playmate in a way that might suggest more then mere platonic feelings. Who has time to think of moonlit walks and cuddling when you were trying to save your brother's soul and finding a way around the basic laws of nature?

She sighed. "That isn't how he sees me...I'm his friend, his mechanic...just a sister." She thought, grimacing. The sister thing made her occasional dreams of a sweaty Ed after a workout and a scantily clad Winry even more unwholesome...she blinked away the encroaching dirty thoughts and focused on her melancholy.

Suddenly, a knock at the door.  
"Hey, Win...can I come in?" Came Ed's voice from the other side of the basement, startling Winry away from a daydream revolving around a pair of tight black leather pants thrown casually on the ground.  
"Y-yeah?" She asked, hoping her blush would lessen, or at least be mistaken for the heat from the torch she was handling.

"...can I come in?" He queried, sounding odd himself.

"Since when do you ask if you can come in?" Winry asked amused.

He opened the door, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He began to say something, when Winry looked back down at her workbench. She was wearing that damn jumpsuit from his sordid thoughts earlier.  
"Come on, Ed. Focus!" He urged himself.  
Gritting his teeth, he asked "hey, Winry. What's up?"

"Fixing your damn automail, short stuff. What the hell bit you?!"  
"Number ONE I'm not SHORT! I'm COMPACT! Number TWO it was a chimera!" Damn. She didn't need to know he was being attacked by rogue abominations. Her shoulder stiffened at the mention of the chimera, but said nothing otherwise. He went from the doorway to the workbench, pulling up a stool and sitting it next to hers. She was tinkering with his arm, taking it apart, salvaging what she could. He knew she'd have to re-make it, even with his limited automail knowledge.  
"So, about earlier..." He began before trailing off.

"What about it." She replied flatly, still not looking at him.  
God DAMN HER. he bit back an angry comment about her not paying attention before swallowing it and continuing.

"I know why you're mad at my automail being trashed."

"Oh?" She replied. Still. No eye contact. But she stopped tinkering...listening, maybe?

"Yeah. You work so hard on it, and I just let it get destroyed. I...uhhh...never, like...you know...thank you for...uhhhm...helping me so much." He replied, stuttering. God he was bad at this.

"No, idiot." She replied, continuing working an intact bundle of wires from his old forearm.

"...no?" He asked incredulously. What fuckin nerve she had! He came down here trying to bear his heart! But she didn't know that, of course.

"I said, 'no, idiot'." She replied in a matter-of-fact tone. She smirked, knowing she was absolutely enraging him. Nobody could piss him off like she could. But he was holding his temper shockingly well...something was up.

"No. I'm not mad because you keep breaking it. Try again, bean sprout."

He couldn't take it anymore.

"BEAN?! Who're you calling a bean you unattractive grease monkey?!" He shouted.

"You weren't calling me a grease monkey last time I fixed what you did to my automail! And THAT time you were missing half the internal components! How the hell do you lose three feet of wire anyways?!" She stood up, shouting back at him.

"None of your damn business is how, automail freak!" With each word his face got closer to hers, until they were nose to nose and shouting.

"It IS my business you pint-sized bookworm!"

"Oily shrew!"

"Stubborn little shit!"

"Crazy bitch!"

Things were escalating as they always did. Both of them LOVED fighting this way, it was how they let off steam, expressing their passion and love towards each other in the only way the knew how.

"Ass-backwards tin man!"

"Ugly nag!"

*WHAM!*  
The wrench. Always the damn wrench. Blinking to clear the stars from his eyes, Ed propped himself up on his elbows. She had really nailed him this time, the bump already formed and his head bleeding a bit.

"Shit..." He grumbled, prodding tenderly at the lump.

"You deserved it." She declared defiantly, before sitting back down at her bench, pretending to ignore him.

"Yeah...yeah I did." He admitted, startling her. He never just admitted guilt.

"How hard did I hit you? You NEVER give up!" She grinned.

"Heh, I dont, do I?" He chuckled. "It's a special occasion, though..." He added, quietly to himself.

"So, why are you now?" She questioned, the grin gone. She was slightly worried...he was supposed to rant about her being a psychotic sadist.

"Well...let me start over. I don't thank you enough for what you do for me. You fix me up even though I don't take care of it like I promise...I really appreciate what you do for Al and Me, Win." He said gently.

She bit her lip and looked down, away from him back towards her work.

He grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to look at him, not even aware of the intimate contact. Jerking her head up and towards him, he looked at her.

Her fine, petite nose.  
Her cheek smudged with grease.  
A few unruly strands of cornsilk blonde hair falling across her huge, blue eyes. God, those eyes.  
They were watery.

Instantly, all the fire in Ed's eyes was gone, replaced with regret at what he'd done to to make her cry. Again.

Stupid.  
Stupid.  
STUPID.

"Winry I-"

"SHUT UP! You IDIOT! You don't UNDRSTAND! You LEAVE! You go and almost get yourself killed! You don't care what might happen to Al or me if you were gone! I don't hear from you until you get back here and you just need your goddamn limbs fixed! You get them fixed and you LEAVE! And do it AGAIN! Damn it Ed I'm so tired of this..." She stared at him, shaking. Unshed tears in the corners of her eyes.. Angry, forceful tears. She was so mad at him.

But he was mad, too.

"Well you know WHAT?" He asked, quietly, almost whispering.  
"Al and I leave here. We want to stay so bad, we miss it here. We miss HOME. but *I* fucked up and *I* have to fix it. Believe me, Winry...I'm so damn tired of this too."  
She started to say something else, but he cut her off.

"You say I don't CARE? I care more then you know! I have chimera bites and burns and smashed wires because I am doing whatever I can to come back here on the right terms. To not be here for a day or two while you fix my mistakes." He gestured at the mangled automail.  
"I haven't told Al this, because it would crush him. But I'm wearing down...you see how bad that arm is? It's so much worse inside. I feel so tired and worn down...I need help...I...I need you." He hung his head, suddenly exhausted.

"...me?" She asked, incredulously.

"Yeah. You. You've always been home for me...and you always fix my limbs, right?"

"...I don't know if I can fix that, Ed."

"Oh." He thought.  
"...well, I'll see you at dinner!" He said, his voice thick with heavy cheeriness as he stood to leave. Suddenly, she reached out and grasped his hand, standing with him.

"But...I'd like to try. I do care about you, Ed. I have for a while. I'll do what I can...just don't expect any miracles, alchemy geek!" She smiled happily, gripping his hand.

"Winry..." His face broke into a small, tentative smile.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I..." The rest of the sentence dissolved into mumbles, incomprehensible to either of them.

"What was that? Gonna hafta speak up there Ed. Or I can let my wrench ask you?" She threatened playfully, tapping it against his forehead.

"I think I love you!" He said quickly, as if afraid the words would burn his lips.

"You...whaaaa?!" She shouted back at him.

"Iiiii...love you?" He asked tentatively.

Her eyes narrowed.  
"Are you ASKING me?"

"No, you shrew! I'm telling you! I love yo-"

Instantly, her lips smashed against his, her hands flying to the back of his neck. He was surprised, his lips tight and hard, but they melded into hers, so soft and smooth. She smelled of citrus and grease and sweat, and he loved it.

Something awakened in his chest, a growling, primitive monster. He opened his mouth a bit, nipped at her bottom lip, tangling his hand in her hair, the other traveling to the small of her back.

She moaned into his mouth as his teeth kneaded her soft lip. Her nails dug into his muscled neck, and one hand cupped his face.

Suddenly, she broke the kiss, a gleam in her eye, breathless.  
"Ask me to wait for you. Please." She was almost begging. This was an odd side to her.

"Winry...please...wait for me. I'll be back...I'll be back for you!" He gushed, overcome with emotion, his walls down and shell gone. He kissed her cheek, her earlobe, her neck. He wiped the grease from her cheekbone as he bit down on the soft flesh of her neck.  
"I love you...please."

Pulling his face from her neck (begrudgingly) her azure eyes locked with his brassy ones.  
"Always. As long as you want me to, Edward. I love you too!"

He kissed her softly on the forehead, overjoyed at her confessions and promises.

They sat in the workshop for a while, talking, kissing, making up for lost time. Ed started feeling the rattling in his chest ease, whatever made the noise was strapped down by Winry's tender words and her soft, tinkling laugh.

Suddenly, Winry looked down at the arm laying on the table. She picked it up, turned it around in her hands, and narrowed her eyes on a digit.

"Ed. Why the fuck is your middle finger made of pewter?" She hissed between her teeth.


	3. Theme 3: Light

The soft glow of a sunrise over Resembool broke through the curtains. A column of light fell over a bed, like the glare from an ethereal spyglass, peeking on the blissful scene that lay there.

Ed and Winry lay there, fast asleep. He was snoring softly, one hand tangled in her hair. Her head was resting on his bare chest, with one arm thrown around his neck. They both held tight to the other's hand. Small, content smiles lay on their lips.

It was a far cry from a few years before, with him curled up in a train somewhere scowling and fighting the demons of guilt in his psyche, and her lying awake worrying about that never ending battle.

The light they shined on each other's lives was brilliant, all encompassing, and had succeeded in banishing any vestige of the darkness that lingered there before. His guilt burnt away like rain clouds, her anxiety shifting into tenderness and affection.

They basked in the warm glow of that light each and everyday. Sometimes, one would awaken before the other, and they would think that light tangible.

Often it was Winry, who usually woke up early to start breakfast and set about the daily chores. She would lay in his arms, softly tracing the scars on his chest and stomach, kissing the worst ones lightly. She would look up at his face, enjoying the morning shine lighting up his features. The stubble on his chin, his long golden hair splayed around him on the pillow. She would run her fingers through it lightly, so as not to wake him. He was just so...beautiful when he was sleeping. She knew he'd rankle at being called referred to in such a "girly" way, but it was so true. All the tension and hardship he carried melted away and left behind a strong serenity that was intoxicating. She took in his peace, and that combined with his overwhelming love and the sense of safety she felt with him...she got drunk off it each and every morning.  
Often, she'd close her eyes and just drift back to sleep in his strong arms.

But, today? He awoke first. Very rarely was he the first up, as he was always up late working on new theorems and discoveries. Just last month, thirty-nine hours with no sleep had culminated in Curtis' Theorem regarding the conservation of chemical properties after transmutation.

This morning, however, his mind wasn't occupied with science. Not filled with numbers and hypotheses and notions...his attention was focused solely on the blonde haired, blue-eyed piece of perfection that lay in his arms.

He felt her slight weight on him, her soft skin on his bare chest. Her lightly callused hand resting in the crook of his neck, her graceful, delicate fingers intertwined with his shorter, ugly ones. Those fingers were so skilled at everything they did, from cooking to crafting automail to their more...illicit activities.

A roguish grin twisted his lips as he thought of thentroublenthey got into last night. He chuckled, bringing her hand to his mouth and pressing his lips softly to her skin, the taste of her citrusy bodywash and automail grease lingering on his lips. He loved her scent so much, even more then the apple pie she made him. It reminded him of home.

He trailed his other hand through her silky soft hair, the color of lemonade, and sunshine, and summer. A few errant locks fell over her sleepy face, and he lovingly tucked them behind her petite ears. Running his rough fingertips over the holes she'd punched in her lobes, he laughed quietly at how mad he was at her for ruining them for HIS gifts...he had always secretly loved the soft curves of her ears, the tiny shell. He brushed over the soft divot behind the lobe, imagining the way her eyes closed in pleasure at his softly probing tongue and gently kneading teeth.

From her ear to her cheek, his fingertips continued their lazy exploration of her angelic features. Her cute little nose, nostrils flaring slightly with each breath. Her eyelids fluttering lightly over her sky blue eyes...he lost himself in their depths many times.

Her eyebrows knitted, and her eyes scrunched up as the intruding ray of light fell over her face, lighting her up like heaven's doors themselves had opened on her.

God damn it, she was too much.

He kissed her lightly on the forehead, cupping her face gently. Then planting a soft smooch of her nose, and finally another on her lips. She smiled, awake but with still shuttered eyes.

"Morning, sleepyhead." He smiled, stroking her cheek.

"Morning yourself. Since when are you a morning person anyways?" She asked, snuggling closer into his chest.

"Well...I guess I've never really had much to wake up to before now." He answered honestly.

She smiled at his comment, knowing he wasn't one for empty flattery.  
"What, have an amazing breakthrough in your dreams last night, bookworm?" She teased, kissing his chest lightly.

"Nope." He answered simply, wrapping his arms around her, squeezing her tight, kissing the top of her head.

"Hey, Ed?" She mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah, Win?" He answered softly, stroking her hair and face.

"Mmmmmm...Keep doing that...I'm sleepy. Still a little worn out from last night, tiger!" She laughed, nipping at his neck.

"Go back to sleep, sweetie. I'm here..." He was nodding off again himself.

"Ed?" She peeped a few minutes later, her voice muffled in his neck.

"...yeah?" Came the groggy reply.

"I love you!" She sighed happily. She could get so sappy sometimes. He loved it!

"I love you more. Go to sleep!" He laughed, but only he heard...she was fast asleep again.

He sighed happily and drifted back to sleep grudgingly...after all, no dream could be better then this reality.


	4. Theme 4: Dark

Lightning shattered the sky above the yellow house where Ed and Winry busied themselves with their individual hobbies. Al and Granny were a few towns over making a house call. Al had developed an interest in human anatomy and wanted to learn from Pinako before heading East to study Alkhestry.  
Ed and Winry had been avoiding each other since after their almost kiss the day after Ed came back. With Al and Pinako gone, things were weird. They were stubborn and thought if they ignored the awkwardness and unspoken feelings, they'd just go away.

Winry retreats to her workshop, Ed wanders between the kitchen, the front yard, and his room. Earlier that day they accidentally met in the hallway during one of Winry's bathroom breaks. Unfortunately Ed had just come in from a run and some strength exercises to build his weakened human arm back up. A shirtless Ed dewy from a hard workout pushed inside by a brewing summer storm was NOT what Winry had needed to encounter in such close quarters. The sight had chased away her growing courage to confront him just as the blush chased the dignity off her face.  
Well, a grease streaked Winry wearing a tube top and a form fitting jumper zipped to her waist didn't help poor Ed much, either. Now he'd have to take a COLD shower after his workout.

A ferocious storm had been brewing all day, and when the sky finally opened up and let loose the deluge, as well as that sonic crash of thunder, it was almost a relief. They didn't need anymore tension in that house. Ed looked up from his book, listening to the torrent just above him.  
"Shit...this old shacks gonna spring a leak." He growled irritably. This awkwardness with his oldest friend was really getting on his nerves. A usually cantankerous Ed was even more moody then usual, cursing the rain, his weather-sore leg, and most of all himself. He should just buck up and go talk to her.

Suddenly a steady DRIP, DRIP, DRIP alerted him.  
"Damn it!" The roof had indeed sprung a leak. Right above his desk where his books were piled. Rushing over and clearing his desk, he noticed a few ore drips all over the room. Figuring that he couldn't predict where the next leak would spring, he packed his books into his rucksack.  
"The whole place will be soaked soon." Mumbled the scowling young man, looking dispassionately up at the leaky ceiling. Shrugging his shoulders as he lifted the rucksack onto them, he made his way downstairs.

Winry sat in her workshop slumped over her desk. Normally she'd be referencing one of her hundreds of medical texts, but today she was fast asleep and snoring loud enough to wake the dead. She'd been pacing outside of Ed's door the night before, stopping countless times, her curled fist hovering centimeters from his door, almost knocking before shooting back to hang at her side as she continued her furtive march. An hour passed, two, three before she gave up and went to her own room. The stupid idiot was too stubborn to talk to her about it so she'd have to.

But she was afraid. Foolish, cowardly, and afraid.

She didn't want to pour her heart out to him and have him her the almost-kiss was a mistake, or that he'd be leaving to study soon...she didn't want to hear it. So she kept her girlish fantasies fed by the over dramatic fantasies in the back of her mind, like how the books that fed said fantasies were crammed under her bed.

Suddenly, thunder followed by a sudden downpour boomed her out of her slumber, and she jumped up.

Rubbing her eyes, she checked the clock on the wall. She'd only been asleep for a half hour, which meant she should probably fix herself some lunch. She wasn't hungry but she knew from experience that not eating regularly would bring the wrath of Ed upon her.  
"Stupid shrimp!" She grumbled, stretching the sleep from her limbs.  
Zipping up her jumper, she walked up the short flight of stairs to the kitchen. She made her way to the fridge and pulled out the milk bottle and started making herself a sandwich.  
As she spread mayonnaise over her bread, she heard the familiar *tap CLUNK tap CLUNK* of a certain blonde teenager making his way down the stairs. This sound had become synonymous with Ed's departures, having always heard it early mornings along with Al's thunderous clanking. She had come to associate this noise with loss and worry, and even now with him at home the sound caused her breath to catch in her lungs.  
Looking over her shoulder, she was shocked to see him with his rucksack over his shoulder. Well, not totally shocked. She had half expected it, he was always running off. But now? It was fucking STORMING out.

Turning back to her sandwich, she said in an aloof tone "where ya goin, Ed? At least wait until the rain lets up if you need to leave so bad." Allowing the tiniest bit of hurt into her voice.

"Leave...? No! No no no I wasn't leaving I was just...saving my...books..." He trailed off.  
She put her sandwich on her plate and sat down, facing away from him, doing her best not to look at him.

"...okay." She could hear him mumble as he walked away. *tap CLUNK tap CLUNK*. Her experienced ears could hear his slight limp, probably due to the humidity wreaking havoc with the port of his leg. She couldn't even be mad at him for not taking care of it...she knew he oiled it every day.

She snorted in derision. NOW he takes care of it when there aren't any homunculi trying to rip it off and bash his thick skull in with it!

"You do know you're supposed to chew your food, not snort it, right?." She heard him comment from the couch. She could almost HEAR the shit eating grin on his face as he said it.

"I'm just fine, short stuff. I didn't even need the step ladder to reach MY food." She replied immediately, smirking.

"SHORT STUFF?! I'M TALLER THEN YOU ARE YOU WITCH!" Shouted Ed in an indignant rage.

"Not taller then Al is!" She said in a sing-song voice. She knew how that song-song voice got under his skin. Right on cue he exploded into a long, expletive filled rant about how it wasn't fair because he had automail and it stunted his growth.  
She laughed mockingly at some points, still refusing to look at him, until another crack of thunder broke them from their argument.

Silence. The only sound was the pounding rain and their breathing. His ragged from shouting, hers choppy from the sudden shock.

Shocked from his tirade by the ear piercing crack, Ed sat back down. He watched Winry out of the corner of his eye, making it a point to not look directly at her. Instead staring out the window at the soaked plains, the dirt road transformed into a muddy river.

"Hey, Win. Remember when we were little and we used to slide down the hill in the mud after it rained?" He asked her.

"...yeah. I do. Heh. Remember Al crying when he ripped his pants on that rock?" She chuckled.

Ed grinned. "So I transmuted them back? Yeah."  
"Buuuuuut you got the stitching all wrong! So we had to rip it AGAIN and I sewed it back!"

"Hahaha...and Al wouldn't stop crying because he thought Mom would notice!"

They lapsed into laughter, which turned raucous when they remembered Trisha had INDEED noticed the difference. By this time Winry had put her dishes in the sink and turned her chair to face him. He loved the way her eyes twinkled when she laughed. This was good...they were talking about old memories, not new feelings. Nothing awkward and confusing here, just their shared childhood and the innocence stolen all too soon.

He loved each and every one of their shared memories. They were basically been family, having always been there for each other no matter what. She had even saved his life after his arrogance caused the loss of his limbs. He owed her everything.

Smiling, he asked "Hey, any advice for the humidity? My legs really bothering me today."

"Yeah, I could tell. Your steps sound different when you're limping." She said back, standing up and walking over to the couch and sitting on the chair next to it. "Not too much I can do. It's just how automail is...but I HAVE been working on some new plans for a weathertight design I've been meaning to try..."

"You can tell just from me walking? Thats's kinda...creepy!" He flashed her that roguish smile of his, and he watched with no small bit of amusement as her face reddened and she looked down.

"Shut it, idiot. It's my job." She mumbled.

"Well, good thing I pay you then. Maybe I'll start helping out at Pitt's farm for some extra cash...my State Alchemist money won't last forever ya know." He said, rubbing his leg ruefully.

"Ed...I don't care about the money. I'd do it for free. YOU'RE the one that insists on paying!" She continued, quieter, hesitantly "besides...I don't mind taking care of you."

Her shy, honest tone surprised him. She caught his gaze and held it. It was his turn to blush a bit, but he smiled as he looked down, noticing she took amusement in his discomfort as well.

"Yeah, well...thanks, Win. For...for everything." The last part came out quickly as he flushed a deeper shade of crimson.

Luckily, she wouldn't notice his deepening complexion as just then, another bolt of lightning struck the sky and the lights went out. A cute "Meep!" escaped Winry's lips as her and Ed were plunged into the darkness.

"Well...shit." Ed cursed. "What now?"  
"Powers out. Nothing we CAN do but wait for it to come back on, I guess."

They sat there for a minute, he on the couch, her on the chair. Their eyes adjusted to the dimness, the only light came from the window and the rain streaked hills of their childhood home. He could see her on the chair through the imposed twilight, she had drawn her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them as she watched the rain.  
He closed his eyes and steeled his nerves.  
"Hey, you can come sit here. I know that chairs not the most comfortable seat in the house...I won't bite, promise." He said casually, hoping to mask his nerves.  
"Oh. Alright."

-  
"I can't believe I meep'd again. That's so EMBARRASSING." She thought to herself as she sat on the far side of the couch, keeping a whole cushion between her and Ed.

"Hey, you okay? I remember you demanding that all three of us cuddle on this couch during these summer storms when we were little." He chuckled.  
Truthfully, she WAS shaken by the storm. She'd always been unnerved by storms as a little girl, and being in the dark seemed to have brought that old fear back. She'd love nothing better then to grab a blanket and throw it over Ed and herself. Would it be weird without Al there?  
"Yes. It'd be freaking weird, Winry." She thought, admonishing herself.

"Uhhh...yeah. Yeah I'm all good, Ed!" She laughed back, hopefully convincingly.

"Yeah...yeah, okay." He said, maybe with a small hint of disappointment. Was he thinking of those old cuddles on this very couch? She surely was. Their little bodies all smushed together hugging the daylights out of one another. Many of her happiest memories were of her wedged between the brothers, her face in little Ed's chest.

Some time went by, and the two teens were lost in thought. Another crack of thunder, Winry jumped.

"You're so jumpy. Are you sure you're fine?" He asked, turning his head to face her.

"Well...maybe im a little freaked out." She admitted, laughing nervously. Silly girl. 16 years old and afraid of a little storm.

"You, uh...you could sit closer if you'd like." He said, turning back to face the window. The rain showed no sign of letting up.

Without a word, Winry scooted to the empty cushion between them, her shoulder barely brushing his.

Suddenly, she shivered a bit. And then she trembled slightly, suddenly very very nervous.

"Hey, you cold?" He asked, looking at her again.

"Y-yeah, must be! Heh this old house is drafty ya know!" She giggled nervously.  
"Are you GIGGLING?! STOP it!" She thought furiously.

"Oh...Kay." He said skeptically. "Hold on I think I saw that old blanket on the back of the couch."  
He got up and grabbed the blanket. Unfolding it, he draped it over Winry's slim shoulders. Withdrawing his hand, he accidentally brushed her cheek with his fingertips, sending shivers down her spine and making her jump instinctively.

"Sorry" he stuttered instantly, sitting back down and moving over towards the other side of the couch as far as possible.

It seemed to be getting even darker out, the sun behind the blackest cloud. It was like night had come early.

"Idiot! Now he thinks you don't want him to touch you!" An angry voice told her.  
"But you DO want him to touch you! A lot! Everywhere!" Said another voice. The pervert.  
"Scoot over to him!" Said a third voice. This one seemed to give good advice.  
She scootched over towards him. Then again. Then a third time, but more then she meant to.  
Now, they were shoulder to shoulder, and their legs were touching.

Now it was Ed's turn to shiver a bit.  
"Cold? She asked ironically, a small smile twisting the corner of her lip.  
"Heh...yeah. I guess." He said back nervously. He was cute when he was nervous.  
She threw some of the blanket over the two of them. Somehow it covered both of their shoulders with ease, just like it did when they were kids.  
They sat there for a while, listening not to the rain but to each other's breathing instead. They were VERY aware of each inch of skin touching the other. Neither were cold in the first place, but now they were almost hot. The sun was completely hidden by now, casting an almost eerie darkness on Resembool.

The dark used to inspire fear in the two, leading to many nights cuddled in each other's bed, plump young hands locked together in safety. But today, it gave a sense of anonymity, and just enough courage to do what they had been wanting to ever since he returned from his nightmarish journey.

Winry gasped slightly as a rough, strong hand took hold of her and gently squeezed.  
"Hey." Ed whispered quietly.  
"Hey." She whispered back. Her insides were on fire, her heart racing. And they were only holding hands!  
They sat for a few seconds, holding hands. Ed's thumb swept out and traced gentle circles on the back of her hand, sending more shivers down her spine. The storm was picking up pace, rain lashed the windows and the old tree in the backyard was groaning like a ghost haunting the old house.

"Hey, Ed? Would it be alright if...maybe..." She trailed off, not finding the words to ask for what she wanted.  
He understood, and with a small chuckle he pulled her down into his chest as he spread out across the couch.

Readjusting the blanket so it lay over them both, she felt his arms wrap around her waist and pull her in. Her riotous heart was suddenly stilled. If holding hands made it gallop, shouldn't being snuggled up with him on the couch make it pound out of her chest and down the hallway?  
He never had a way with words, but he always knew what to do.  
"Feel better?" He asked her.  
"Hmmm?" She murmured back.  
"Feel better? The storm?"  
"Oh!" She giggled again. "Yeeeeah! Much better!" She said, still giggling.  
"Hey! What's so funny!" He demanded looking down at her.  
"I...have a confession. I did hate storms when I was little but the cuddling was just an excuse!" She giggled even harder, shoulders shaking under her barely contained mirth. She felt GIDDY like never before. Was it Ed's close presence? And why wasn't she nervous anymore?  
"You! I...I KNEW IT!" He laughed back. They lay there stifling laughter for a few seconds until Ed thought of something.

"So...if it was just an excuse then...what about right now?" He asked in a serious tone.  
She looked up into his fierce golden eyes, meeting their gaze.  
She paused. Then, after a second, "Somehow it's still nice without Al, huh Ed?" She asked innocently before burying her face in his shoulder.  
"Heh...yeah." He said. Then, whispering, "Even better."  
"...I heard that. I'm RIGHT here." She laughed, then tilted her head back to quickly kiss his chin impulsively.

Her eyes went wide enough to cast a reflection of him, even in the lack of light.  
"Ed I-" she started hurriedly before he shut her up with a swift kiss on the lips.

Their lips parted, still laying together. Taking the opportunity, she kissed him. Softer, more tentatively, as if she thought he'd scold her for the act. Instead, he sighed softly and brought his hand up to cup her face lightly. Hearing his gentle sigh and feeling his rough hand on her face, she found the courage to kiss him again, longer. Molding her lips to his, she sank into his embrace.

He broke the kiss, but kissed her softly on the forehead before drawing her head back into his chest.

"I've been wanting to do that for years." He admitted with a small laugh.  
"Then why didn't you? Ass." They laughed then.

When Al and Pinako walked in an hour later, dripping wet, they had a rush of déjà vu as they witnessed Ed and Winry snuggled under their old blanket. Her head buried in his shoulder, nose nuzzled against his neck, both fast asleep. What was different, however, was the look of contentment and peace on Ed's face as he held her close.

Al felt a slight tinge of sadness at being left out of this oldest of traditions, but that was overtaken by a sense of relief.  
"Finally." He murmured to himself.  
Even cranky Pinako couldn't find the heart to disturb them. They weren't necessarily doing anything wrong...all hands were accounted for above the blanket...

And so, Ed and Winry were left to their blissful closeness under their old blanket. Even as the storm reached new heights, tearing the moaning old tree apart in the backyard, they slept. Nothing would stop them now. Not fear, not embarrassment, not even the protestations of nature herself.


	5. Theme 5: Break Away

Winry lay in bed, content in Ed's arms around her. Warm flesh and cold metal, wrapped around her waist. She sighed deeply, thinking it'd be okay to lay this way forever. He gently kissed the back of her neck, making the small blonde hairs stand on end. Snuffling gently into her hair, he wrapped his arms around her even tighter.

Winry couldn't recall any other time she'd been this happy and content. Thinking if she didn't say it now, she'd never have the courage to again, she broke the silence.

"I love you, Ed." Her whisper was a gunshot in the silence of her room. She felt Ed stiffen behind her, tensing at her words.

"Winry..." He began, his voice low and husky. She knew him too well to not know there was something wrong.

"Ed. Stop. You don't have to say it back...I just want you to know I love you. And I always have." Grasping his flesh hand in her own, she brought it her lips and kissed it softly.

"Win...listen." Voice soft, but still a little ragged.

He had her full attention now.

"I shouldn't have done this." He laid his forehead between her shoulder blades. She rolled her shoulders and scooted out of his embrace, sitting up to look at him, pulling the sheets to cover her bare chest.

"What?" Winry asked, her whisper heavy with hurt and bewilderment.

He rolled onto his back, laying his head so he faced away from her. A few seconds later, he answered.

"This was selfish."

"Edward. Look at me!" She grabbed his arm and rolled him over to face her. His bangs fell over his face, obscuring it from view. "This wasn't selfish. We both wanted it. There was nothing selfish about it."

"You don't understand, Winry. By involving myself with you like this I've put you in danger." Ed rasped.

"What are you saying?" Her tears were flowing now.

"I'm saying...that I shouldn't have kissed you, and I shouldn't have followed you up here, and we shouldn't have done...that...because if they find out-" Ed murmured, before being cut off.

"Who are 'they'? and why should I care if they know?!" Anger dominated her voice now, and she was displaying the telltale signs that Ed knew meant she was about to start shouting.

"I can't say, Winry. Just trust me when I say it'll be safer for you this way. I don't want them to use you against me."

"I'm not some damsel in distress, Ed! I can handle myself!" She shouted out, alarming Ed.

"Winry shush! You're going to wake Granny!" He sat up now, brushing the hair from his face and over his shoulders.

"No, Ed! Fuck tha-" began Winry, before Ed clamped a hand over her mouth. She thought about biting him, but didn't want to devolve into childish ways when this was so serious and heartbreaking.

"I'll tell you everything one day, Win. Just...please. Trust me." He removed his hand.

"Tell me now Ed! You can tell, me I want to listen!"

"I'm sorry, Win. You're safer this way. We both are." He took her by the shoulders and kissed her softly on the forehead, before standing to leave.

"Oh, so THAT'S what this is about, huh Ed? You just don't want me in your way! Whatever, you got it Ed. Get the hell out of my room." Spat Winry bitterly. She told herself she didn't care about the pain in Ed's face as he stood there, told herself he could leave and never come back as far as she was concerned. And she almost believed herself.

"I'm sorry, Win." Whispered Ed before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

-  
Ed stumbled back to his room as if he was drunk. He opened the door to see that Al was gone, probably taking a late night walk. He was grateful for this as he sat on his bed. Brushing his bangs out if his face, he laid his head down and let his tears spill over his pillow.

"I love you too, Winry."

(A/N: the first draft of this one, well...I hated it. for some reason I had written Winry as being crying and pleading throughout this whole Theme. And that, Well...that's just wrong.)


	6. Theme 6: Eyepatch

Hey! Wrath will take over babysitting you, now." Envy snarled, her form that of a young blonde man with the military uniform. "Right this way."

"Wrath?" Asked Ed, confused. Envy...gluttony..lust...greed...all homunculi, all named after deadly sins. This "wrath" must be a homunculi, too!

Envy pushed open the double doors, and Ed walked in, followed closely by Al. Seated facing them was...Fuhrer Bradley? Both Ed and Al gasped aloud. "Wrath? The Fuhrer, King Bradley?!" Ed thought angrily to himself. He had been such a fool! Of COURSE! Another small gasp as the other seated man turned his head to look at the boys.

"Colonel?" Ed was thoroughly confused now...this wasn't good, not at all. "What's going on?"

"Where should I begin?" Mustang said, not taking his eyes off of Bradley-Wrath-"Fuery's been shipped south, Falman's been sent up north, and Breda's been reassigned to the west. Lieutenant Hawkeye is now the assistant to the Fuhrer." Ed heard the double doors close...they were locked in here with a monster.

"What the hell IS this?! They're practically holding them hostage!" Ed thought, fighting the anger down.

"Go ahead and take a seat." Bradley said calmly.

The guards had left them all alone...three alchemists, one homunculus. Ed eyed the saber at Bradley's belt, thinking how sure of himself he must be to isolate himself with the three of them.

"Fuhrer, so what was that in the hospital that day, when you came to visit me? You really had us going, didn't you?" Ed asked quietly. The man had shown up to wish them a speedy recovery, even giving them a basket of fruit. What kind've immortal monster does that?

"I don't recall lying. I instructed you to suspect everyone, and not to meddle any further. The only thing you need to know is that you're important to us, and there's no need for you to dig any deeper. Accept the importance of your role and keep your head down. You do that, and no harm will come to you." The man instructed, as if teaching them how to play checkers. Was this all a fucking game to him?

"Well, that's great for us. What happens to all the people who aren't lucky enough to be considered 'sacrifices'?" Demanded Ed, knowing full well it was nothing good.

"There's nothing you need to know that I haven't already told you. Is that clear, Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Ed laughed in derision. Pompous ass. "You chose that as my title. Heh." He pulled out his pocket watch, stained and crusted with blood and gore from Gluttony's hellish insides. "I only joined the military because I thought it might help us get our bodies back. But now...now I know what the State Alchemist Program really is. You're using it as a way to recruit your sacrifices!" The watch snapped closed, and Ed fixed the Fuhrer with a fiery glare. "We'll, I'm not gonna let you use me to accomplish your sick goals!" Ed threw the pocket watch across the table, nearly knocking over Bradley's cup of tea. "I resign my title as a State Alchemist!"

Bradley folded his hands and returned Ed's gaze. "The symbol of a dog, fittingly crusted with blood." The way the word blood dripped from Bradley's mouth sent shivers up Ed's spine.

"Your plans are gonna fail. I swear on my own GRAVE I'm going to stop you. I'll warn the other state alchemists, I'll tell them-"

"What was that lovely young girls name again?" The homunculus interrupted. Suddenly, the room was ice cold, and Ed was struck dumb. The Fuhrer tapped at his forehead, as if to jog his memory. "Ahhh, yes...it's Winry Rockbell" a gasp from both brothers. This son of a bitch...

"Your automail engineer, and you grew up with her in Resembool, if I'm not mistaken." He casually leaned his chin on his hand, continuing. "She's practically a family member, isn't she? I've heard rumblings that she might be more then that to you, though, Ed." By this time, Ed was shaking with rage. It was all he could do to not leap across the table and throttle this motherfucker for bringing his Winry into this.

"I've heard she's made quite a name for herself with her customers in Rush Valley. Such a sweet and trusting girl. Beautiful as well, wouldn't you say, Ed?"

Ed slammed his automail hand against the table, upsetting the cup of tea from its saucer near mustang. "You stay away from her! Just leave her out of it!" Mustang looked at Ed with a blank face, hiding his surprise at the Fullmetal Alchemist's sudden vehemence.

Bradley tapped his finger absent mindedly on the desecrated pocket watch, and replied "well, it's up to you." He said, sliding the watch across the table. "If you'd rather not take it, I'll simply have to cut her down."

Ed picked up the watch in his automail hand, gripping it tightly.

"You bastard. Leave her out of this. I won't be going anywhere."

Later, Ed and Al stood at a phone booth.

"Hello! Ed? Well, this is a surprise."

Ed's heart fluttered in relief at hearing Winry's voice, and her normal tone saying she was perfectly fine. "You didn't break your automail again, did you?"

"No! I'm calling-because-is everything alright? Have you noticed anything weird? Like any suspicious people following you?" Ed asked, stumbling over his words as he spit them out in a hurry.

"Well, Ed!"

"What is it?" He replied, concerned and intense.

"You're creeping me out!"

"What's creepy?!" He shouted back, rankling at her jovial, mocking tone.

"It's just...well...it's actually pretty rare to get a call from you. And I've NEVER heard you worry about me." He could hear the sweet smile on her lips. "This is weirder then a snowstorm during the summer!" She giggled at that.

"Well fine! I won't worry!" He replied nastily, reacting to the blush creeping up his face.

"Thank you, Ed. Really. Thank you. It means a lot." She sounded so happy and genuine.

"Hey, hold on a sec, 'kay?" He covered the mouthpiece with his hand. "Hey, Al? Could I have a moment here?" He asked sheepishly.

"Oh, sure brother! I'll just...ya know, stand over here...try not to be a giant suspicious suit of armor hehe..." His brother walked off a bit, and Ed closed the phone booth door.

"Back. You're certain everything's okay, right?"

"Yeah, Ed. I promise. No suspicious men, nobody following me."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. I'm sorry for the weird call...there's just a lot going on and I got...worried. Sorry." He went to hang up the phone, but a tinkling laugh from the receiver stopped him.

"It's fine, Ed. I wish you'd call more often, in fact. I-I miss you, ya know? A-and Al, too, of course!" She seemed to trip over herself a bit here, and Ed found himself grinning. She was probably twirling the phone cord around her delicate, skilled finger and blushing ever so slightly. He noticed the effect he had on her, even when they were seperated by hundreds of miles.

"I'll call more often, Win." He heard a small gasp as he used the nickname he hadn't used since they were little. "Promise. And I...I miss you too. I'm looking forward to visiting Resembool soon. How long will you be in Rush Valley?"

"Until I've sucked Mr. Garfiel dry of all his automail techniques! But...I'm missing Den and Granny. I think I'm going to take a small vacation soon. I'm getting a little tired of all these war vets staring at me-"

"War vets?! Those lecherous old perverts! Don't they have anything better to do then stare at young girls?!"

Her laugh filled the phone booth again. The sound of it made Ed's heart sing! "Ed calm down! I can handle it!"

"Heh. The wrench?"

"Nope. The wrench is only for you!" He blushed slightly. Better be only for him...he'd bought her the damn thing, after all.

"I'll give you another call soon, Win. But I hafta go now."

"Oh. Alright. Talk to you later, then." She sounded disappointed. Ed didn't know if that should make him happy or sad.

"Again, I'm glad you're safe. I'll see you soon...I promise."

"Bye, Ed!"

"Heh. Bye, Win."

He set the phone back in its cradle with a soft smile, and turned to open the phone booth door-

Al had smashed himself up against the glass, arms around the booth and his helmet pressing against the door. "Brother and Winry, sittin in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" He sang, rocking the booth a little.

"AL! I'm gonna kill you!" Ed tried to pry the door open as Al ran off, cackling (and clanking) loudly. "Get back here you little shit!"

(A/N for this one, I actually went back and re-watched Ep29: Struggle of the Fool from Brotherhood to get the scene JUST right. I added a few lines here and there, and the second half of the phone conversation is all original. Personally, I love this one. Review, please!)


	7. Theme 7: Stubble

Ed stood at the bathroom sink, towel around his waist. Running his straight razor along his strop, he heard Winry pad over from the bedroom.

"Hey there, tiger!" She greeted flirtatiously, hip bumping him lightly.

"Hey yourself, Win! You want me to clear out?" He asked as she reached into the shower and turned on the hot water.

"Nah. You've seen me naked already, nothing left to hide!" She chirped cheerily, pulling Ed's dress shirt up and over her lithe form. Ed raised an eyebrow as he watched this seductive sight in the mirror, smirking a bit.

"Heh. Especially last night, huh?" He winked at her reflection as she blew him a kiss and stepped in the shower.

"Hey, are you shaving?" She asked, her voice raised over the water.

"Yeah, was thinking about it. Why?" He replied, continuing to hone his razor.

"I like you scruffy! Keep it!" She giggled, lathering her hair.

"Whaaaa?! I'll look like...like..." Images of Hohenheim swam into his mind, unbidden. Ed did NOT want to think of his late father while his amazingly sultry fiancée washed off the sweat he helped her work up the night before.

"Like who, Ed?" He could almost hear the grin on her face. Damn her!

"Like Hohenheim! Damn it!" He replied, shouting a little louder then he needed to over the water.

"Ed, pleeeeease?" She had stuck her head out of the shower and looked at him with those damn puppy dog eyes, even kicking it up a notch and dropping her bottom lip out in an adorable pout. He groaned, setting the strop and razor down.

"You win. Again." He sighed in a faux defeated tone.

"Of course I do. Now what's my prize?" She purred at him.

Ed may be dense, but he DID know an invitation when he heard one.  
Ed stepped into the shower, and Winry squealed girlishly as Ed's hands settled into their usual places.

Several (loud) hours later, Ed and Winry lay in bed, the covers thrown rakishly around them. Winry had laid her head on Ed's still heaving chest as they caught their breath. His fingers traced transmutation arrays on the soft, ivory skin of her bare back. She giggled when he started tracing words, recognizing "Winry+Ed" in the middle of an alchemical array.

"Alchemy! Nerd!" She laughed, smacking his chest lightly.

"Hey, I can't help it! Just because I can't do it anymore doesn't mean I don't still love it!" He replied, trailing a fingernail up her spine, smiling as she shivered a bit.

"If you couldn't do me, would you still love ME, Ed?" Winry grinned at him cheekily, before pulling herself up so her face was closer to his.

"Hmmmm...I dunno, Win." He replied with a grin on his face, twirling a strand of her silky golden hair around his finger. "Would you love me if I didn't have any automail?" He asked back, grinning right back at her.

"Nope!" She laughed before kissing him softly on the chin. Bringing a hand up to his face, she stroked the five o'clock shadow on his cheek.

Ed smiled and laid his head back on the pillow, enjoying her soft, strong hands on his face. Her fingers stroked their way from his cheek to trace his jawline, dipping down to tease his neck a bit. She followed the strong ridge of his jaw up to his ear, tugging on his earlobe playfully. When she kissed a small purple bruise she'd left on his neck sometime between their fun last night, and their fun ten minutes ago, he sighed contentedly.

Thinking how lucky he was to have this beautiful girl in bed with him, he kissed her softly on the forehead, then again between her sky blue eyes, and once more on the tip of her nose. Winry screwed up her face cutely at this, and lunged forward to capture Ed's lips with hers when he laughed at it.

He pulled his head back, knocking it softly against the headboard. Winry reached behind him and rubbed his head softly.

"Poor baby! Quit jerking around, spaz." She lightly slapped the back of his head before yelping as Ed rolled them both over and pinned her down.

"Who's the spaz now, huh?" He laughed, wiggling his fingers against her ribs where she was most ticklish.

"Ed! Quit it! E-Ed!" She gasped between bouts of laughter. Ed just kept on tickling, dipping down to kiss her smiling mouth every so often. Neither cared when they clacked teeth a couple times...they were giddy, and happy, and in love.

When Ed finally stopped tickling her (she had completely pulled the sheet down with her wriggling, exposing her bare body to the hips), he laid his head on her chest this time, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Suddenly, she started giggling.

"What is it this time, automail freak?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Your scruff! It's tickling me!" She giggled. She wouldn't be caught dead giggling this much in public...so girly and foolish. But Ed...he just brought out the girly, foolish side in her!

"Oh yeah?" He asked, with a devilish gleam in his eye. He rubbed his cheek over her chest, grinning at the small shudder she let out when the side of his face, followed by his lips, grazed a stiffening nipple.

"Mmmmm...thank god you didn't shave!" She murmured happily before pulling him up to meet her lips.

(A/N this might be my favorite piece I've written so far! This fluffy, pointless stuff is my specialty, it seems. Plus my other two stories are darker and a little more depressing...it's nice to write a happy, horny Edward and Winry for once. Reviews appreciated!)


	8. Theme 8: Shell

It was the one thing he coveted most. The thing he had sat on fast-traveling trains fantasizing about, had dreamt of. The fact that he even DARED to think of this twisted his stomach...

He wanted to be taken care of, to let everything go and just be HAPPY. Ed hadn't thought of himself since his mother died...he thought of reviving HER, and then retrieving his BROTHER'S body. He hadn't even cared about his own limbs...he just told Al he did so he wouldn't be lectured.

What he wanted, had wanted for such a long time, was something most people took for granted-to stand back and let someone else take control. Let them handle it. He wanted to be held and be taken care of, to not worry about outcomes or deadlines.

He wanted to lose himself in some selfish satisfaction. He denied himself base comforts for years...the touch of a friend, the shoulder of a compassionate person, the caress of a lover. He wouldn't allow himself any sort of comfort until his brother could feel it first.

Even after Al got his body back, Ed resisted these things. He made sure Al had gotten all the hugs he could ever want. Had made sure he was taken care of and content in every way until he even began to think of what HE wanted next. One evening Ed had sat on the porch and thought on this...what made HIM happy?

And he hit a block. He didn't feel he deserved happiness, or comfort, or anything pleasant or wonderful. Obviously he knew what made him happy...he just knew that these things werent meant for him. He had trapped his little brother into a walking metal coffin, devoid of all sensations. Countless people had been dragged into his quest, and some had died, or come close to it. Ed felt that he had been selfish and reckless. Hughes died for him. His closest friend was taken by an amoral sociopath as blackmail, then shunted off to the man who had killed her parents and countless others.

Because of Ed.

He knew he didn't deserve what he wanted most. He had resigned himself to this fate...Ed exchanged the desire of comfort for the goal of helping others. Making sure what happened to Nina never befell another person, steering the government away from military alchemy and into medicinal alkahestry...these things would be his atonement.

Sighing deeply and standing up, he was surprised to see Winry standing there that night. Plopping down on the step beside him, she pulled him back down so he was seated again. Wrapping her lithe arms around his, she snuggled her head onto his shoulder. Ed froze, not knowing what to do.

With a slightly shaky hand, he brought his free hand over and brushed a few stray hairs from her face, tucking them back in place behind her ear. Her happy sigh cracked Ed's heart wide open, and a thought took root...if this incredible creature could cuddle up to him and seem this happy...maybe he wasn't as vile and stained as he thought he was.

"I'm glad your back, Ed. I missed you, you dummy." Winry sighed, to which Ed could only grunt in reply. His head was still spinning...the object of his affection was here, snuggled into him. Fantasizing about this moment hadn't prepared him for the actual thing, not even a little!

Since then, Ed slowly started coming around. Sure, he still considered himself a sinner unworthy of any sort of affection, but he surely wouldn't turn Winry away when she wanted to braid his hair or offered him a massage for his poor stiff ports. Likewise, Winry never turned down hug or a late night talk, to Ed's eternal shock. Why would she want anything to do with him, let alone let him touch her? It bewildered him.

Of course, it never went past that. Never past lingering hugs or meaningful looks...it wasn't quite platonic the way they looked at each other, but they never did anything about their feelings. It was Ed's apprehension that caused the uneasiness...she could tell he wasn't sure about himself, and she knew even more that he could never care about anyone else when he carried so much disgust for himself.

But...he was healing. Slowly, but surely. His mindset shifted slowly from him being tainted to her being absolutely perfect. No longer was he so concerned with absolution, as the one person he cared about as much as he did his little brother didn't see him as needing it. Through her affections and ministrations he was beginning to see himself in a new way. A halfway between the strong sentinel she saw and the unworthy filth he himself saw...he was getting close to regarding himself as a plain human being.

Of course, laying there now with Winry, her breath softly blowing the bangs up from her sleepy face, he couldn't help but feel unworthy to be anywhere her...she was perfect and he was stained.

Ed kissed her softly on the forehead and pulled her closer.

Smiling, he knew he had to have done something right in this life of his.

(A/N originally this chapter had a different theme. But...I re-wrote it 5 or 6 times and still hated it. So now it's this! Review, please!)


	9. Theme 9: Stages

"Brother?" Al asked sleepily as Ed laid him on his bed.

"Yeah, Al?" Ed replied, fluffing the pillow behind his head and pulling his sheets up for him.

"Did I ever thank you for...everything?" Al's hazel eyes were drooping fast. Being back in Resembool was excellent for his health, but he was still weak from his body's time behind The Gate.

"No and you don't need to. Go to sleep, Al." Ed smiled gently and turned to leave.

"Brother?" He asked again, through a yawn.

"What is it now?" Ed replied with feigned irritation. It was good to hear his little brother be sleepy after four years of a sleepless suit of armor watching over him.

"Are you gonna talk to Winry now? Like we talked about in the hospital?" Al's eyes were closed, and he was probably half asleep. Ed figured he wouldn't remember any of this conversation anyways, and he spoke candidly.

"No, Al. I'm not. She's been with that Richie guy...she seems happy." Ed's voice was tinged with jealousy, and a hint of regret. Maybe he should've talked to her sooner...before that other guy had wormed his way into her heart.

"She doesn't like him, Brother." Al yawned deeply again, cracking his eyes open to peer at the young man standing at his bedside. "Not really. You can tell."

Ed sighed, wanting to believe him. "If she didn't like him, why would he be over here all the time? I can't even walk into the kitchen because they're standing there making out." He was bitter, now. Remembering the horrible awkwardness and hurried apologies from both sides, Ed AND Winry. But HE had just grinned at Ed, as if saying "Shouldn't have kept her waiting!"

"Just tell her, Brother!"

"Tell me what?" Came a voice from the doorway. To Ed's dismay, Winry stood there with a bemused look on her face. CLEARLY she knew she was being spoken about, but thankfully she hadn't heard Ed's previous gripes about Richie.

"N-nothing. Al was just going to sleep." Ed responded stiffly, making a very conscious effort to not brush up against Winry as he passed her while thumping out of the room.

He heard Winry bid Al good night as he took the stairs two at a time, suddenly irritated. Not knowing what else to do, he resigned himself to plucking an apple from the bowl on the kitchen table and crunching into it absently. Staring out the window as he chewed, he couldn't help but feel that recently familiar feeling of regret settling in his chest.

Fuckin' Richie, man. What did he have that Ed himself didn't? Cursing under his breath-and through a mouth full of apple-he knew what it was: that bastard could tell her how he felt. He had no inferiority complex, no trepidation. RICHIE didn't need to sift through a murky labyrinth of shared memories of a childhood with the object of HIS affection. RICHIE had never kissed a young Winry's scraped knee. RICHIE hadn't been there for her when she got the news of her parents' passing. Richie, that son of a bitch, hadn't been pulled from the brink of death by her caring, devoted hands.

This interloper in the life Ed had fought tooth and nail to return to had no right to ram his tongue down Winry's throat. Let alone shoot him with that shit-eating grin!

Breaking his rapidly infuriating inner dialogue, Winry's soft footsteps came down the stairs. Taking another mouthful of his apple, Ed threw the core away and turned back to affix his gaze on the blackness of a Resembool night.

Winry padded into the kitchen, and Ed knew she was looking at him. She had apparently taken to stealing furtive glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking...but years lived with the constant threat of a knife from the darkness had mutated metaphorical eyes into the back of the young man's head. Ed noticed the glances, the thoughtful eyes on him. Why the hell was she staring at him, anyways? Wasn't tall, well-built Richie enough to stare at? That fucker.

The sound of a chair scraping across the kitchen floor broke the silence Ed had been raging silently in. Refusing to look at the seated girl behind him, Ed squared his shoulders and kept his gaze on the countryside. Internally, he was grateful she couldn't see the anger that washed over his features with such recklessness...he didn't want to answer the incessant questions that would surely follow. In fact, he wished he couldn't even see HIMSELF in the glare from the window...he had saved an entire frickin' country from an unimaginable fate, but here he was, struggling with some adolescent melodrama. That thought made him chuckle bitterly, the sound slipping from his throat before he could hold it back.

"What's so funny, Ed?" Piped a slightly mocking voice behind him. Folding his arms, he tilted his head so he could see her in the window's reflection.

There she sat...Winry Rockbell. The object of his abject affection ever since he was capable of having romantic feelings for the opposite sex. Over the years his feelings for her had shifted so many times Ed had lost count.

At first...she was just Winry. His oldest friend, basically his sister. It was just Winry. Plain old NOT cute, NOT girly Winry. The little blonde girl he shared naps and cookies and whispered secrets with. However...the sticky fingers and fear of cooties fell away to a less innocent outlook.

Then one day...he noticed her emerging curves, swelling in the maddening tide of puberty. From that point onward, Winry had become something in Ed's mind that he felt vaguely guilty of...she was reduced to her physical features. A hormonal, teenaged Ed found a scantily clad Winry peeking into his dreams quite often, and that weighed heavily on his conscience. Maybe it was the distance between them that had broken Winry down into a set of silky alabaster legs pouring from a black skirt...at least, that's what Ed told himself.

After that, another evolution took place. This phase lasted quite a while, and it was altogether peculiar to young Ed...he just wanted to take care of her. To protect her. This was shortly after Winry broke down in that alleyway while Ed uncurled her shaking fingers from that gun that had NO place in her hands. Holding her in the alley, grasping her hand...it just felt right. Something deep down in Ed was shouting out at him, urging him to notice the swelling in his chest, the fierce protectiveness he felt over her at that moment. When he answered that shouting inside, his daydreams turned from her curved hips and breasts pushed teasingly against a black tube top to her lovely face, and her eyes. Those limpid pools of sky blue held eternity, and he wanted to lose himself in their depths. To hold her to him, to kiss her softly and see her eyes shine at him. That isn't to say Ed stopped being aware of her burgeoning curves...it's just that they had taken a backseat to unrealistic (and decidedly uncharacteristic of Winry) imaginings.

And then, Ed stood before Truth. This time, he bargained, and came away with what he considered a huge victory. Trading his alchemy for his brother's body, and his leg? Well, that was just Equivalent Exchange. Alchemy got him into the mess, after all. Of course he was unsure, but what reassured him was the shouted words of encouragement from those he loved...he'd never tell anyone this, but the loudest had been Winry. The moment he heard her voice rise above the urging cacophony, all these stages of affection for Winry blended in his heart. Laying in the hospital bed a few days later, he had come to a realization, and then a decision: he loved Winry. She was Winry...all the childhood memories, all the soft, supple skin, all the love she had to give that Ed wanted to have focused on him.

She was Winry. And she would be his.

He had looked over at Al and said, quite simply, "I'm going to tell her I love her." Al had smiled knowingly, and nodded his head. Ed thought he could hear a easily whispered "'bout damn time.", but didn't pursue it. He was pretty happy with his discovery, after the annoyance at not realizing it sooner faded.

But all that hope had dashed against the rocks of the stormy port that was his life when he found out about Richie. He had followed Winry out of the house when she had run out to hug them hello. Not only that, but the shithead narrowed his eyes at the Elric brothers whenever Winry wasn't looking. As if THEY were the intruders! Ed had sunk into a melancholy and touchy mood since then. Home was home with this outsider intruding every other day.

But, what had Ed expected? For her to wait for him forever? Why would she, when he had never shown any sort of affection? Ed had been confident in Winry's feelings matching his own...and they had. They were just for another person.

"Ed? You still there?" Winry asked, snapping him out of his reverie.

"...yeah. Yeah I am. What are you doing up? It's late." Ed asked brusquely, turning around to look at her.

"No, no it isn't. It's, like, 9 o'clock. You're acting weird, what's wrong?" Fuck. Obviously she'd noticed the last vestiges of the anger he had failed to fully scrub from his face.

Yes. Everything is wrong. You're letting yourself be mauled by that big stupid bear. I love you. I always have and I think I always will.

"No, I'm fine."

"You don't seem okay..."

_I'm not. I'm fucking mad. You don't belong with him. _

"Shows how much you know."

"It's...it's Richie, isn't it?"

_YES._

"No."

"Yes, it is. Look, I'm sorry about that-"

_I love you!_

"Forget it. I said its fine."

"He...doesn't like you two much. Richie doesn't." She confessed, looking down at her lap.

"So? I don't care."

"I do. He said he doesn't want you guys here."

Ed laughed angrily, pulling a chair out for himself and sitting down. So, that bastard doesn't want them here, huh? The feeling was mutual.

"Fuck him." Ed grumbled, wishing that the bastard was in the kitchen right then.

"Yeah." Winry chuckled sadly. "We got into a bit of a fight over it."

Ed's nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, he looks like the controlling asshole type." He expected Winry to flare up at this, but she nodded in agreement, to Ed's surprise.

"I don't think I really like him, Ed." Admitted Winry quietly. "I installed some automail for his brother and then he just kept coming by...I didn't have a reason to tell him no." She looked at him then. Did she want him to have given her a reason?

"Well...that's no reason to date someone. Just because you didn't have a reason not to." Said Ed quietly, carefully. This was leading somewhere, and he couldn't turn back now. He knew an opening when he saw one.

"I just wanted to see what it was like, ya know? To have a boyfriend...someone that cares about you."

Before he could stop himself, Ed blurted out, "I care about you."

Winry raised her eyebrows a bit at him, looking amused again. "Is that so?" She asked quietly.

"Y-yeah." His eyes were back on the floor now. Maybe he shouldn't have done this?

"Well, I wanted, you know...a boyfriend! I know you and Al CARE about me, but you guys don't CARE about me...know what I mean?" No. No he didn't. Because she was wrong. He wanted to shout that at her, instead he just shrugged non-chalantly, still gazing at the floor. He tipped his chair back a bit, balancing precariously.

"I mean...when you were out did you ever...think about stuff like that?"

"A lot." Ed answered. It was the truth, too.

"Well...you're back now! Y'know, Natalie was asking about you at the market yesterd-"

"Fuck Natalie." Ed answered coldly. He was sick of this shit. He wouldn't sit there and let Winry set him up with slutty little Natalie. "I'm going to bed. Night." A dull thud sounded through the kitchen as all four chair legs hit the floor.

"Ed?" Winry called softly as he stalked out of the room. She dropped her head into her hands as she heard him thump up the stairs. "Fuck Natalie." She whispered bitterly.

* * *

The next morning, Ed grumbled as he pulled himself put of bed. Looking over at Al, he decided his little brother could use all the rest he could get. Meaning to go downstairs for a cup of coffee, he paused at the top of the stairs. Voices. One was immediately identifiable as Winry's the other he knew only because of how much he hated its owner...fuckin' Richie, man.

"C'mon, Winnie...your grandma's gone lets go upstairs..." His voice was thick and mewling in a way he probably thought sounded seductive. In reality it just made him sound like a creepy asshole. Of course, Ed was biased, but Winry didn't sound impressed either.

"Richie NO! Ed and Al are upstairs!"

The mewling was gone this time as Richie replied with a snort, and a few quiet but bitter words Ed couldn't hear.

"They're my friends! They have a right to be here!" Ed's heart swelled just a little. Winry was standing up for them!

"Well, there's a couch right over here isn't there?" The "seductive" voice was back. Ed rolled his eyes as he imagined Winry was as well.

"No. I have to TALK to you, anyways."

"We can talk! It might be more fun over there, though-"

"We don't 'talk' over there. You grope me." Ed's eye twitched with the image of those big, rough hands on Winry's soft, delicate skin.

Richie began speaking again, but Winry cut him off. "Stop. You only want to fool around. That's not all I want, Richard. I think we should see other people." Suddenly, Ed's mind was off at a sprint. Other people? Did that include maybe Ed?

Richie's voice was rising, and Winry's was as well. Ed figured he should cut in before she whipped the wrench out...that jerk wouldn't be able to handle a blow to the head like Ed could.

"You heard the lady, RICHARD. you should probably leave now."  
The big dumb giant just scowled at Ed as he walked down the steps. "Now would be good. Go." He repeated.

"Whatcha gonna do, PIPSQUEAK?" Richie sneered. Before Ed could charge at him, Winry stepped between the two of them and placed a hand on Richie's arm.

"Get out Richie." She warned. Ed couldn't see her as she had her gaze focused on her ex boyfriend. Grumbling, the young man left, but not before shooting a poisonous look at the two teenagers standing in the room.

Winry sighed deeply and sat down on the floor, crossing her legs and hanging her head. She looked exhausted. Ed crossed the room and sat beside her, crossing his legs as well.

"What made ya kick him to the curb?" He asked innocuously.

"I dunno...I already told you I didn't really like him. And all he did was..."

"Grope you?" Ed finished for her, grinning slightly.

"Shut up!" Winry laughed, smacking him lightly in the chest.

"I'm not sure I like hearing you shouting about being GROPED this early in the morning!" He teased again, sticking his tongue out at her.  
Somehow, the tension of the night before had lifted. Richie Richard had been an unpleasant cloud of haze in Winry and Ed's relationship. Straining it in a way that was unfamiliar to the two of them. Sure, they argued and fought...but the silence and avoidance felt...wrong.

"Shut! Up!" Winry shouted, pouncing on Edward and bowling him over. She knew if he actually tried he could get away, but he didn't, not this time. He laughed as she tried to exert her strength and pin him, before rolling over and holding her arms down. He swept his long, un-secured hair over her face as she sputtered and giggled.

"Get off me! You ass!"

"Make me, automail geek!" He started whipping his hair over her face until they were both red faced from laughing so hard.

Suddenly, Ed stopped laughing as he noticed the compromising opinion he held her in. Taking advantage of his distraction, Winry shifted Ed's weight towards his automail arm and flipped the two of them so she straddled his lap. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she grinned at him in triumph.

She looked so beautiful. Her eyes shone with triumph as tufts of hair stuck out here and there. Somehow she had a small smudge of grease on her cheek as she always did, and she smelled of oil and tart apples. He also detected a softer, more feminine scent...Winry-scent. She was beautiful and haphazard messy and absolutely stunning. The sight of her was so very WINRY that Ed was simply struck silent as he gazed up at her from his back.

"What are you looking at me like that fo-" her next words were cut off by Ed's slowly approaching face. She watched with a mixture of shock and confusion as his lips inched towards hers. Breaking the spell, she whispered his name.

His head flew back down to the floor with a sudden flood of red coming over his face. Again she looked at him with that mixed bowl of feelings before shocking him.

Her head dipped down, her lips brushing his softly, for only a second. Now it was Ed's turn to be shocked. Winry rolled off Ed pushed herself against the wall, wrapping her arms around her knees and dragging them into her chest. Ed laid there still, eyes slightly unfocused trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Okay...I was going to kiss her...then she kissed me...she...me?" Ed thought desperately before turning his head to look at the girl curled into a tiny ball against the wall. Even her hands were red from embarrassment...damn she was cute when he blushed. Ed chuckled softly as he rose and walked on his knees over to her. She had buried her face in her legs, now.

Uncurling her fingers from their death grip around her leg she took them gently in his own. When she murmured a bit in mortification, he brought her knuckles shakily to his lips and kissed one.

"Why'd ya go fetal on me, WINNIE?" He teased gently.

A muffled voice came from her knees. "Don't call me Winnie. I hated him for that. Don't make me hate you, too."

"Would ya look at me at least?" He asked, desperate to get some sort of reaction. Was she smiling or scowling? Did she regret it?

"No. Let me sit here and die."

Ed clicked his tongue in frustration.

"I didn't fight through hell to come back and have you kiss me then die right after. Look at me, woman!"

"No. Go away, pip-squeak." Came the muffled reply. Ed's giddiness was gone, replaced with irritation. Instead of shouting and storming off, Ed did the last thing Winry thought he would.

Taking her head in his hands, he eased her face up. Then, he rushed forward slightly and pressed his lips to hers, knocking her head back against the wall slightly. Her legs unfurled as the kiss deepened a bit, as Ed was a quick study and picked up on the way to relax his lips against hers so she wouldn't think she was kissing a fish. Meanwhile, Ed's hand came back to tangle in her messy hair, causing her to tip her head back slightly. Straightening up a bit to make up for the elevation, Ed hovered over her.

Feeling adventurous, Ed tried something he'd heard the guys at Central talk about. The slight murmur that escaped Winry's lips as he sucked her lower lip between his own reassured him...clearly she wasn't regretting a single damn thing. As his teeth skirted along her lip, he felt her arms come around to rest around his shoulders. Before he knew it, she was pulling him down with her as she laid herself on the floor. Instinctively he straddled her like he had before, hands still tangled in her hair.

She gasped slightly as she felt her lips being parted by his tentative, shy tongue. She welcomed him, however, meeting his own tongue just as shyly. He hands explored his taut shoulders, his sinewy arms. Just as she started murmuring slightly, they both jumped as they heard a voice from the top of the stairs.

"Oh my gosh! I-I'm sorry!" Al practically shouted.

Ed jumped up, almost kicking Winry right in the face as he hurried to get distance between the two of them. Squawking indignantly, Winry hauled herself in the opposite direction.

All three of them looked sheepish, though Ed had a small grin on his face. Al piped up first.

"Well...I'm guessing Brother told you he loves you, Winry?"

"WHAT?!" She shouted, indignant again. Ed laughed uncomfortably, shuffling his feet.

As Winry gaped at Ed in disbelief, Al laughed quietly to himself.

"I'm guessing he hadn't quite gotten to that part, yet..."

(A/N. first off, sorry for the delay, guys. These two themes gave me HELL. this one ESPECIALLY. I have mixed feelings...I LOVE this concept. But this ended up being so long and it feels rushed to me. Too much crammed into one theme...I think I'd like to do a story revolving around the idea of a new beau in Winry's life. I LOVE some parts of this...eh.

What do you guys think? Could this use a stand-alone story? Tell me in the reviews you're no doubt rushing to write. Thanks for reading, guys!)


	10. Theme 10: Barfly

"Winry! Damn it!" Moaned Ed as he once again lost hold of Winry's hand. The little minx was slippery when she wanted to be. This was the THIRD time she had dodged away while he was trying to drag her out of this godforsaken, gin-soaked bar. Snapping his head in the direction he'd seen a bobbing blonde ponytail disappear into the writhing crowd of smelly, dirty men, he sighed frustratedly.

Ed hated bars. Especially CROWDED bars. Ed found himself with Winry in this bar, on THIS day, because Winry insisted on celebrating the first year anniversary of The Promised Day "properly". Ed thought it was a twisted, sick joke that the government had kept the moniker, trying to put a "positive spin" on a day that almost spelled the end of the entire country. That was Colonel-now Fuhrer-Asshole, always spinning. Apparently most of Resembool agreed with Winry that the best way to celebrate a FAKE holiday was to get REAL drunk.

It was late. Ed wanted to leave. It was a long walk back to the house. Winry was in no shape to wander off by herself, either...and she was in no shape to fend off all these...ugh. Men.

Ed shoved through the crowd, ignoring the slurred complaints of those he pushed through. Ed's irked frown turned into a scowl of disdain as he saw Winry standing with Rocky Henning, his large, calloused hand resting oh-so-wrongly on her slim waist. The jackass was laughing obnoxiously as he drank deeply from his bottle, and Winry hiccuped dimly along with him.

Ignoring her protest, Ed snatched her hand up once again and pulled her away from the man.

"Hey, man! The lady was with ush!" Slopped Rocky, turning dim, hazy eyes on Ed.

"Fuck. Off." Ed warned, narrowing his eyes at the admittedly larger man. Ed knew he could still whip the guy's ass, having done it bi-monthly when they were kids. To Ed's hidden bemusement, Rocky burped a bit and then spewed sick all over his shoes. Correction, all over his sandals.

"Heh. Serves you right, you stupid ox." Thought Ed wryly. Still grasping Winry's hand firmly but gently, he began to lead her towards the door one last time.

Of course, Winry was just as loud drunk as she was sober. More so, even.

"Ed! Let go! I don't WANT to go home yet!" She shrieked. The entire bar went silent as they turned to face the two teens. Luckily it was Resembool, where everyone knew Ed and didn't think he was trying to abduct her and-Ed turned a bit red-take advantage of her drunken state.

"No! I'm tired and you're shit-faced! We're leaving!" Before she could begin to shriek again, Ed simply hoisted her over his shoulder and walked out, ignoring the catcalls and shouted "Show her to bed, Eddie!"s. Fucking animals.

Despite her squeaked protests, Ed didn't set her down until they were too far from the tavern for her to think about stumbling back. Only when she started making noises reminiscent of one of Al's cats hacking up a hair ball did he set her down. Holding her flaxen hair back, Ed fought back a "told ya so". Stroking her back soothingly, he smiled cockily...he'd save his comment for later. When she was sober enough to remember it.

"Uuuuuugh..." Winry moaned miserably, burping into her hand. "'Scuse me."

"Oh, no! It's way too late to be ladylike, Winry!" Laughed Ed

"Sh'up, Eb..." Mumbled Winry, trying to stagger to her feet. "My mouth taishts like DEATH." Ed caught her arm as she stumbled.

"Come on. There's a water pump in the field." Helping Winry over the fence and into the field, he couldn't help but chuckle. She had always taken care of him...Ed guessed it was his turn, now.

The happy little squeal that came from Winry as Ed pumped the handle and drew fresh water was beyond comical, and Ed burst out laughing. Winry sated her thirst, spitting the first mouthful out. A sober Winry would probably remember that the first few pumps of well water tasted like copper cenz, which likely didn't complement the puke taste in Drunk Winry's mouth.

"Okay, barfly, lets get going. You're Pinako's granddaughter for sure..." Ed went to hoist Winry over his shoulder like before, but she shook her head stubbornly.

"No what? Come on!"

"I'm not a sack of turrets-turnipsh, Ed!"

"Well you're too damn drunk to walk!"

"Carry me in your arms, then!"

Ed's eye twitched. So, Drunk Winry was also Child Winry. Fan-fuckin'-tactic.

"FIIIIINE." Huffed Ed. Winry threw her arm around his neck as his left arm curled under her knees, the other behind her shoulders. She nuzzled her face into his chest as he straightened up, walking back towards the fence.

Climbing gingerly over the thigh-high fence, Ed did his best to ignore Winry's warm breath seeping through the thin fabric of his shirt. Her eyes were drooping lazily, and she would probably be asleep long before they got home.

Boy, was he ever wrong. A few steps past the fence and she was mumbling softly, too softly to hear. When Ed craned his neck down towards her, she giggled breathlessly and nipped sensuously at his neck. Ed, shocked, recoiled from the teeth and lips seeking his throat. Not to be deterred, she simply started planting searching kisses on his chest and collarbone, following up with another love bite at some exposed skin above his shirt.

"W-Winry!" Ed yelped, twisting this way and that to escape her persistent advances. He had stopped walking at this point, as he found it hard to squawk in protest and walk at the same time. Despite him fantasizing about this very thing, well...she was totally blitzed! Out of her mind, four sheets to the wind, utterly and totally drunk!

Apparently Drunk Winry was ALSO Horny Winry. Fan. Fuckin'. Tastic.

"Eeeeeeed, don't you like me?" Winry asked innocently, staring up at him with those big blue eyes.

"Y-you're drunk!" He stammered back. Of course she was drunk, she knew that! It was the only response he had! Well, that and the rising bulge in his trousers.

"You...you don't like me, do you Ed?" Came Winry's voice, sounding quite forlorn. Oh, hell. Was she going to cry? "If you liked me you'd kiss me back..."

"Winry I-I..." Well...she WAS drunk. Maybe she wouldn't remember? Anything to keep her from CRYING, dammit. "Yes I do!"

Oh no. Drunk Winry wasn't so easily appeased. "No! You don't! If you liked me you'd kiss me and fool around with me and you wouldn't be such a party pooper! The guys at the bar were right..."

"Whaaaaaaaa?" Yelled Ed dumbly. Fool around? Guys at the bar?! What the hell did those idiots say?!

"They said if you liked me you wouldn't just ignore me!" On the last word, her voice broke and the tears came. They were the sloppy, whiny cries of a VERY drunk woman, but nonetheless they made Ed feel like crap.

"Winry, come on-" he was cut off, though.

"They said," a sniffle here, "that if you wouldn't" a little sob here, "pay any attention to me then" and now a gasp, "they would!" Ed's jaw hung open. So they WERE trying to take advantage of her!

"Those drunken sacks of sheep shit! I'll kill them all!" He shouted as Winry clapped her hands over her ears. He had half a mind to march his ass over there and beat them all sober! If he still had his alchemy he'd just transmute the entire bar into a giant tinder pile and set it on fire!

"I'll be DAMNED if one of them lays so much as a breath on you!" He continued.

"Why? You don't want me..." She was shifting in his arms now, trying to get away. Taking a deep breath, Ed got his anger under check and grasped her tightly to his chest until she stopped struggling. Her sobs now came softer and gentler, the tears of someone who felt that they were being ignored, not those of a drunken ninny.

Ed's heart sunk...it was his fault. As she curled her face back into his shoulder, he knelt down on his knees. With his arms wrapped around her, he nuzzled her nose with his own, turning her face up to him. Before she could turn her face away from him, he ever-so-gently pressed his lips against hers, closing his eyes and savoring the soft warmth of her rosy lips. A contented sigh came breathed out of her nose as her lips curled against his.

It wasn't a bad kiss, at least that's what Ed told himself. He had never exactly had practice, so he was reasonably proud of his first kiss. He had no idea if it was Winry's, but the crazed thought popped into his mind that maybe he'd have to kick some farm boy's ass up and down Resembool. He pulled his lips (begrudgingly) away from hers, but was emboldened by the frustrated grunt Winry made and leaned in for another. Not so chaste as the first, he captured Winry's plump bottom lip between his own and sucked on it slightly like he'd heard Havoc talk about while all the military men were bragging in Central. Just like Havoc had said, this maneuver seemed to drive women crazy...or at least it drove a drunk Winry crazy.

Winry's hand moved up to tangle in his hair as her mouth opened to him. Ed felt her warm, soft tongue bat against his lips before he had the sense to open his own mouth. Their tongues brushed against each other shyly at first, then a bit more boldly as Ed exhaled sharply from his nose. She tasted of the sweet, fresh water of Resembool mixed with fresh grass and the slightest hint of the gin she had all but bathed in earlier.

Winry broke the kiss this time, letting her head fall to rest against his chest. She smiled and mumbled sleepily before hiccuping and closing her eyes. Her quiet snores a few moments later told Ed she had fallen asleep.

"How the hell do you fall asleep in the middle of making out with someone?" Ed wondered aloud, his face screwed up quizzically. Winry, of course, gave no answer. Shaking his head, Ed stood up and continued his trek home.

Upon reaching the house a few minutes later, Ed gently woke Winry (by blowing not-so-gently on her face. She wasn't very pleased.) and set her on the steps. After watching her simply roll over and pillow her head on the wooden porch, Ed considered just letting her sleep there. It'd save him or Granny cleanup when she puked in the morning...but Pinako would kill him for leaving her granddaughter outside.

After quite a struggle, He was able to get her on her feet and over to the couch, deigning a trip up the stairs as too risky for Drunk Winry. Ed settled her down on the couch and laid a blanket over her, remembering also to put a bucket out for her in case she got sick in the night. Turning to leave, he felt a hand grip his pant leg, and a soft mewling.

"Stay? Please?" She was looking at him with those damn eyes again. Those eyes that probably held a drunken tantrum back if he refused. Sighing, he lifted her head and sat in its place, throwing her pillow to the side and letting her lay her head in his lap.

"Mmmmmm...night, Ed." She murmured happily before yawning deeply.

"Night, Win." He whispered back. Resigning himself to her pillow for the remainder of the night, he laid his hand on her head and gently stroked her soft, silky hair until they both fell asleep.

Winry awoke in the morning with an awful taste in her mouth. She rolled off the couch, carefully as to not wake Ed, and sprinted for the bathroom. As she emptied her guts of the potent poison of the night before, she heard a soft laugh behind her.

"Fun night, Winry?"

"Shut the hell up, Al." She grumbled miserably. Laying her head on the cool porcelain of the toilet, she sifted through the memories of the previous night.

"I'd lecture you for getting so drunk, but I think you've learned your lesson." She could hear the shit-eating grin on his face. He'd spent WAY too much time with his brother.

"Shut UP, Al." She repeated, closing her eyes and trying to ignore the pounding in her head. "Tell the room to stop spinning while you're at it..."

He laughed. The sound split her head open again. "Did you take my advice at least?"

Grinning, she answered, "Oh yeah."

"Did it work?"

She grinned even bigger. "Ohhhhhh yeah. He's such a sucker for a crying woman!"

(A/N this is the most humorous thing I've written so far, and I'm pretty proud of it! The original theme for #10 was "Breathe Free" and it would've been centered around Winry and how she felt having the boys back home. Original, huh? I'm glad I switched it up.

Fun fact, originally I was going to have Winry turn to the side and puke again after the first kiss, but I started writing the second kiss just to see if I liked it, and, well...I loved it. So it stayed. The only thing I'm not too happy about is the drunk-speech. I think it comes off a little hammy and forced, but it was the best I could do. What do you guys think about the ending? Did I make it clear that maybe Winry wasn't as drunk as she made herself out to be?

A shout-out to my beta-reader jacylynkaleigh, who will be beta'ing all my stories from now Maybe hopefully my typos will disappear...damn this iPad.)


	11. Theme 11: Massage

If the weather could be threatened into submission, it surely would have shrunk back in fear of Ed's baleful gaze. Sitting stiffly in a chair pulled over to the window, Ed cursed under his breath. The damp had soaked into his arm...no, not his arm. His goddamned automail port.

The irritation had woken him from a sound slumber, prompting him to strip his shirt off to inspect himself. Ed had expected to see some mangled debris hanging from his shoulder, but he'd noted that the skin around the port was only tense and slightly swollen, crowding the cold steel. It wasn't a sharp pain, but more of a dull, persistent ache, like a mouth full of tooth ache. Ed cursed himself for being bothered by such a minor distraction, as he had slept through much worse than a weather-sore arm before.

"Fuckin' rain." He mumbled, standing from his chair and walking to the other side of the room. It was a damn good thing he didn't need to worry about a sore leg, as well...he'd just have to hang himself there in his room if that was the case. Upon reaching the far side of the room, he spun on his heel and stalked back to the window, casting a disgusted look upon the rain-soaked plains of Resembool. Sure, the muddy after effects of spring storms had been fun when he was little, but that had been an eternity ago.

Ed continued his irritated pacing, unconsciously increasing his pace and the foulness of the expletives that dribbled from his tightly drawn lips as time went on. It was right after Ed had written a new chapter in Humanity's Potty Mouth Encyclopedia that he heard a sleepy voice from his doorway.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Ed turned around to see Winry standing in his doorway. Rubbing at one eye with a drowsily curled fist, she peered at him with the other.

"Couldn't sleep." He answered gruffly.

"So this is what you do when you can't sleep? Run across your room?" Winry giggled. Ed could feel the corners of his mouth turn up, but not in his characteristic cocky snarl. A giggling Winry was infectious, and Ed had spent a lot of time kicking himself over not having realized that sooner. Ever since Ed had fulfilled his promise to Al (and to Winry, for that matter), he had been taking turns kicking himself for not realizing things and enjoying said things.

"Yeah. I guess it is." Ed chuckled, rubbing at the back of his head sheepishly.

Winry crossed the room, stopping at the window Ed had been maligning previously. "It's really coming down out there." She mused, hand framing her chin thoughtfully.

"Does she have any idea how gorgeous she is?" Ed thought to himself, bemused. Even in a tattered old t-shirt, she was more appealing to Ed than any other woman he'd seen in Amestris.

Ignoring his silence, Winry asked Ed nonchalantly "How are you handling Al sleeping in the other room?" Her azure eyes spied Ed through a thick haze of long, wispy eyelashes.

Ed snorted. "I'm fine. He's a big boy, Winry." Al had tentatively broached the subject of taking up a separate bedroom from Ed when he regained strength. Maybe Ed was a LITTLE put off by it at first, they'd been together pretty much every single day for their entire lives. But it made sense. Al was growing up. It had only been uncomfortable when the Old Hag had quipped about "hormones" and "boyish urges". Sick Old Hag.

"So, why are you still awake then?" Winry turned to face him, leaning against the window. Years of living a life that was one missed detail away from ending, Ed noticed the bumps that spread to her arm at the cold contact of the glass behind her. "We both know you sleep like a rock. A dead rock."

"Rocks can't die, automail geek." Ed grinned.

"Don't change the subject, jackass." Winry's voice was casual, but her face betrayed her, eyebrows rising just a bit in interest.

Ed rubbed at his sore arm a bit, grimacing, not in pain, but in resignation. "My arm's a li'l achey. No big deal."

Winry was on him in a flash. Ed's imagination kicked into overdrive, images of her hopping into his arms and wrapping soft, slim legs around his waist, the imagined sensation of soft lips on his own chapped ones.

Ed was almost relieved when she began inspecting his arm. ALMOST. She ran her skilled, lithe fingers over the casing, poking and prodding at his elbow joint.

Apparently he had passed her inspection, because she looked up -"UP!" Ed thought with a flash of pride-at him, blinking in mild confusion.

"Nothing's wrong with it, dummy." she stated mildly.

Ed could feel his eye twitch in irritation. "I KNOW there's nothing WRONG with it. I'm fine." Ed mumbled testily, shaking his arm out of her grasp and taking a step back. Winry's eyes narrowed, scanning his face. Another thing Ed had gotten good at during his journeys was keeping an excellent poker face, but Winry knew better...he was an awful poker player.

"Your port." Winry said pointedly, gesturing at his shoulder with a nod of her head. "The humidity is mucking it all up. Is it bad?"

"No. Not really. No."

"Liar." She laughed. "Sit on the bed."

"Why?" Ed was suspicious. Where was this going? He grinned a bit, filing away the image of Winry straddling his lap after pushing him down on the bed into the back of his head for future use. The grin disappeared, and he mentally cursed Colonel Asshat for seemingly rubbing off on him.

"Just do it. Mechanic's orders!" Winry chirped.

Ed sat down wearily on the edge of his bed, consciously forcing himself to not roll his achey shoulder. Ed jumped as Winry kneeled on the bed and walked on her knees until she was behind him.

"Winry what the hell-" Ed strained his neck to look back at her.

"Shut up I'm trying to help you!" Winry cut him off. Was she...blushing? Maybe? Ed told himself it was just the light, although that made NO sense.

Ed faced forward, tensing as he felt her hand on his shoulder, right above the port.

"Yeah...you're really tensed up here, Ed." She poked a particularly tight knob of flesh and Ed hissed between his teeth.

"Thanks, Winry. I hadn't known until you started poking me like a damned animal." She smacked him lightly across the back of the head, and Ed cringed.

"I'm trying to help you!"

"Then help me if you're gonna help me!"

Winry went from poking to rubbing, using her fingertips to rub the tense muscles of Ed's shoulder. Ed relaxed slightly, enjoying the massage. Warm, strong fingers kneaded sore muscles, soothed rigid tendons. He had to admit, he wasn't used to the contact...normally anyone touching him was trying to knock his head from his shoulders.

Ed closed his eyes slightly, letting thought drift out of his head in favor of memorizing the caring and maybe even affectionate touch of his oldest friend. Winry must have decided that fingertips weren't enough, as she began working the tendon of his trapezius muscle. Interestingly, her other hand crept up and rubbed the other side of his neck...he only had one automail arm, so maybe that wasn't so necessary...but he sure as hell wasn't going to complain.

"Jeez Ed...you really ARE tense..." He heard her mumble. Ed had known Winry since before he could remember, and thus he was fairly certain he could picture her face even through his lidded eyes. Eyes narrowed slightly in concentration, a bit of pink tongue trapped between her lips. No doubt Winry did the latter out of habit and it wasn't conscious...that or she liked to torture Ed with the unbearable endearment he felt towards her when she was doing it.

Her skilled hands worked their way to the back of his neck, kneading the muscles over his shoulder blades. Ed was glad he had been keeping up on his exercise since he'd been back, and he was hoping Winry was enjoying the taut, sinewy musculature of his back. It was now that Ed could feel her soft breath on the back of his neck, giving rise to the tiny hairs on the back of his neck, as well as other bits of him.

Luckily, Edward was a man of ironclad willpower, and he forced those other bits to relax.

"Hey Ed, would you mind if I sat a little closer?" Winry asked, her mouth right next to his ear. Maybe his willpower was less ironclad than he thought, as his lower regions weren't obeying orders, not with Winry so close.

"Y-yeah, sure." Stammered Ed who was ferociously fighting for control of himself.

"If you're uncomfortable-" she began before Ed piped up.

"No! It's...nice. It feels good." He tilted his head back and to the side, flashing a grin.

"Heh...whatever you say, Ed." She chuckled. Ed faced forward again as Winry settled down from her knees. Ed was successfully shoring up the defenses the rebellious hormones had punched in the castle walls of his self-control, but the tides turned once again as Winry spread her legs out, resting one on either side of Ed.

Ed gulped, and the insurrection busted down the walls to his throne room and held him at gun point. The moonlight glinting off her creamy white legs provided JUST the distraction that was needed. Ed dimly recognized that the rain must have stopped if the moon was shining.

GOD. They looked so...soft. Ed wanted to touch them, run steel and flesh fingers alike up and down their length, committing each and every centimeter to memory.

Years down the road Ed would admit to Winry that this was the start of his leg fetish.

Winry's soothing touch resumed as she replaced her hands, working the tight, broad planes of his shoulders. Outwardly, he practically groaned at the mollifying abilities of Winry's spectacularly skilled hands. Inwardly (and lower) Ed was a smoldering, seething cauldron of emotion. Of desire. Of...lust? No, lust was a dark thing, a SIN...not that Ed was a religious person, but such a dark thing didn't describe his feelings toward Winry. Hell, Lust was just an inhuman monster to him anyways. Beating down his not-so-pure thoughts, Ed forced himself to relax.

Winry's rough, slightly callused thumbs worked the tightly wound muscles adjacent to his spine. Warmth spread through his body as the last traces of any tension dissipated.

Ed felt himself leaning back into Winry as he grew more and more relaxed under her care. Fingers brushed hair away, rubbed intently at stubborn knots.

However, Winry seemed to be getting a bit playful. Tracing circles every now and again, raking her nails gently against already soothed patches of muscle, and was she breathing a bit heavier than need be on his neck?

Ed didn't believe in an afterlife, nor a god, but he was in heaven. He found himself drifting off, and fought to keep awake, fought to keep enjoying what was arguably the most intimate thing Ed had ever experienced with another human being.

"Ed! You're smushing me!" Winry giggled. Ed had indeed been leaning way back against Winry, and she had pushed him back up gently.

"Oh...heh. Sorry, Win. Guess I was just really comfy." Ed chuckled nervously, diverting his blushing visage.

"Guess that means you're good to go to sleep then, huh?" She asked, raking her fingernails playfully up and down his spine.

Ed was disappointed at the massage coming to an end, but he hid it well. "Feels a lot better, Winry, thanks. If you wanna go to bed you can."

Winry playfully tugged at his braid and sat beside him. "You're welcome, Ed. Just...let me know if starts acting up again. Okay?" She smiled at him.

"Yeah...I will. Thanks again." Ed smiled back. Contagious, contagious Winry.

Winry pushed herself off the bed and moved to leave. As she walked past Ed, she stopped and turned to face him. Leaning down, she planted a soft kiss on his arm, right where warm, relaxed flesh met cold, unrelenting steel.  
She smiled at him again, and silently left the room.

Ed flopped back on his bed, touching his fingers where Winry's lips had brushed. Marveling at the softness and warmth of her touch, Ed decided that he wished it rained more often.

(A/N sorry this took so long, guys! I've been busy, sick, etc etc etc. blah. Anyways, I'm reasonably happy with the outcome here, I think I balanced some humor with some fluff, and even some sexual tension. At least on Ed's side! I actually considered writing this from Winry's perspective but decidethreat would be a mistake as most of the insight would be left out. Though, I suppose I could've written about an excited Winrrubbing down the object of her affection? Haha

I highly recommend you check out Velveteens' 100 theme challenge, as her work is stupendous. Great stuff, ranging from K+ to M.

On a slightly but not really related note, my next two themes will lean heavily towards the...citrusy side. In short, one will be tame, the other will be a bit spicier. tasteful, I assure you, but...spicy. Haha

A new chapter for Thin, White Lines will be up next, so stay tuned guys!)


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